Christian Lealiifano kicked a penalty on the full-time siren to clinch a 24-23 Super 15 win for Australian side the Brumbies over South Africa’s Central Cheetahs in Canberra on yesterday.
The Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs looked to be heading for their first win in four visits to the Australian capital with a 23-10 lead early in the second half.
However, the Free Staters were reeled in by the Brumbies, who trailed 23-21 going into the final minute before the Cheetahs conceded a scrum penalty that inside center Lealiifano converted to keep the home team unbeaten this season.
The victory came on top of Friday’s news that the Brumbies’ South African World Cup-winning coach Jake White had ruled himself out of contention for the vacant England job to stick with the twice-champion Super 15 side.
The win was an example of “what we’ve been trying to achieve all preseason and staying with it,” Brumbies skipper Ben Mowen said.
“We’re not kidding ourselves, there’s a lot of stuff that needs to be tidied up. We didn’t play well around our 50, some options you would like to change, but as long as you are winning and you can change them, then it’s a better place to be in,” Mowen said.
The Cheetahs, who upset the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney last year for their first victory in Australia in 12 attempts, could only blame their ill-discipline in the final 20 minutes for allowing the Brumbies to get up at the death.
Captain Adriaan Strauss lamented their throwing away a winning position.
“We are not going to get more opportunities to win a game than we had today, so obviously disappointing,” the hooker said. “I felt there at the end the decisions were going against us. We need to have a look at that and try to fix that.”
“We definitely gave away penalties at the scrum, but I think one or two could have gone our way and that could have definitely changed the game,” he added.
Cheetahs’ left-winger Willie Le Roux looked dangerous with the ball, scoring in the 19th minute and laying on the final pass for scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn to score two minutes after halftime.
For the Brumbies, Wallaby Pat McCabe scored on his return from shoulder surgery, while Fijian winger Henry Speight plunged over in the ninth minute.
Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen kicked three penalties and two conversions from six shots, while Lealiifano landed four penalties and one conversion from his six attempts.
The Cheetahs continue their Australian tour against the Rebels in Melbourne next weekend, while the Brumbies travel to New Zealand to take on the Waikato Chiefs.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care